County (Gaelic games)

A county is a geographic region within Gaelic games, controlled by a county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and originally based on the 32 counties of Ireland as they were in 1884. While the administrative geography of Ireland has since changed, with several new counties created and the six that make up Northern Ireland superseded by 11 local government districts, the counties in Gaelic games have remained largely unchanged.

However, the county as used in Gaelic games does not always and everywhere cover precisely the same territory as the traditional county. Particularly in the first 50 years of the Association but also in more recent times, there are many examples of clubs based in one of the administrative counties being allowed to participate in the leagues or championships of a neighbouring county. There are also instances where the official county boundary does not coincide precisely with the county as used in Gaelic games, for example where a club is based on a parish that crosses the county border. While in most cases the name of the county as used in Gaelic games is the same as that of the current or former administrative county, there have been exceptions: Derry has never used the official county name of Londonderry, and the board of the county then officially known as Queen's County changed its name in 1907 to Leix and Ossary, later becoming Laois. Each county board is responsible for organising GAA club fixtures within the county, and for the promotion and development of Gaelic games and the other objectives of the Association.

The county can also refer to the inter-county teams fielded by each county board. While in general any county, and only a county, is eligible to compete in the provincial and national championships and leagues, and almost all do so, again there can be anomalies: in the National Hurling League, for example, a team representing Fingal — a sub-region of the GAA county of Dublin, corresponding to the modern administrative county of Fingal — previously competed against other counties.

Since the inception of the county system, there have been changes to the respective regions of control of the overseas units. In Ireland the concept of the county is very strong and changing the county boundary is extremely controversial. In 2002 a proposal to divide Dublin in two was quickly and strongly opposed.[1]

List of every county board

The following is a list of the 32 county boards in Ireland and the 14 county boards outside of Ireland.

County boards in Ireland

Listed below are the 32 county boards based in Ireland and the provincial council to which each is affiliated to. Connacht have five affiliated county boards, Leinster have twelve, Munster have six and Ulster have nine. Also provided is a map showing the location of the province, i.e. north, south, east, west.

Board Irish name[2] Province
Antrim Aontroim
(Contae Aontroma)
Ulster
Armagh Ard Mhacha
(Contae Ard Mhacha)
Ulster
Carlow Ceatharlach
(Contae Cheatharlach)
Leinster
Cavan An Cabhán
(Contae an Chabháin)
Ulster
Clare An Clár
(Contae an Chláir)
Munster
Cork Corcaigh
(Contae Chorcaí)
Munster
Derry[lower-alpha 1] Doire
(Contae Dhoire)
Ulster
Donegal Dún na nGall
(Contae Dhún na nGall)
Ulster
Down An Dún
(Contae an Dúin)
Ulster
Dublin Áth Cliath
(Contae Átha Cliath)
Leinster
Fermanagh Fear Manach
(Contae Fhear Manach)
Ulster
Galway Gaillimh
(Contae na Gaillimhe)
Connacht  
Kerry Ciarraí
(Contae Chiarraí)
Munster
Kildare Cill Dara
(Contae Chill Dara)
Leinster
Kilkenny Cill Chainnigh
(Contae Chill Chainnigh)
Leinster
Laois Laois
(Contae Laoise)
Leinster
Leitrim Liatroim
(Contae Liatroma)
Connacht
Limerick Luimneach
(Contae Luimnigh)
Munster
Longford An Longfort
(Contae an Longfoirt)
Leinster
Louth
(Contae Lú)
Leinster
Mayo Maigh Eo
(Contae Mhaigh Eo)
Connacht
Meath An Mhí
(Contae na Mí)
Leinster
Monaghan Muineachán
(Contae Mhuineacháin)
Ulster
Offaly Uíbh Fhailí
(Contae Uíbh Fhailí)
Leinster
Roscommon Ros Comáin
(Contae Ros Comáin)
Connacht
Sligo Sligeach
(Contae Shligigh)
Connacht
Tipperary Tiobraid Árann
(Contae Thiobraid Árann)
Munster
Tyrone Tír Eoghain
(Contae Thír Eoghain)
Ulster
Waterford Port Láirge
(Contae Phort Láirge)
Munster
Westmeath An Iarmhí
(Contae na hIarmhí)
Leinster
Wexford Loch Garman
(Contae Loch Garman)
Leinster
Wicklow Cill Mhantáin
(Contae Chill Mhantáin)
Leinster

County boards outside of Ireland

Listed below are the 14 county boards outside of Ireland and the provincial council to which each is affiliated to. Seven county boards are affiliated to Britain and three county boards are affiliated to North America (an unofficial province). The remaining four county boards are not affiliated to any.

Board Irish name Province
Asia An Áise
(Contae na hÁise)
N/A
Australasia An Astráil
(Contae na hAstráile)
N/A
Canada Ceanada
(Contae Ceanada)
North America
Europe Eoraip
(Contae Eoraip)
N/A
Gloucestershire Chontae Gloucester Britain
Hertfordshire Britain
Lancashire Lancasír Britain
London Londain
(Contae Londain)
Britain
Middle East An Meánoirthear
(Contae an Mheán-Oirthir)
N/A
New York Nua-Eabhrac
(Contae Nua-Eabhrac)
North America
Scotland Albain
(Contae na hAlban)
Britain
United States Stáit Aontaithe Mhéiriceá
(Contae Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá)
North America
Warwickshire Britain
Yorkshire Britain

County teams

Counties contesting the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (light colours), All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (dark colours), or both (other colours); however, almost all counties contest both the National Football League and the National Hurling League.

40 of the 46 national and overseas county teams currently compete in the Hurling and Football Championships.

GAA county Province Dominant sport Hurling Championship Football Championship
Antrim Ulster Hurling Liam MacCarthy Cup Tailteann Cup
Armagh Ulster Football Nicky Rackard Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Carlow Leinster Hurling Joe McDonagh Cup Tailteann Cup
Cavan Ulster Football Lory Meagher Cup Tailteann Cup
Clare Munster Hurling Liam MacCarthy Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Cork Munster Dual Liam MacCarthy Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Derry[lower-alpha 2] Ulster Football Christy Ring Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Donegal Ulster Football Nicky Rackard Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Down Ulster Dual Joe McDonagh Cup Tailteann Cup
Dublin Leinster Dual Liam MacCarthy Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Fermanagh Ulster Football Nicky Rackard Cup Tailteann Cup
Galway Connacht Dual Liam MacCarthy Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Gloucestershire Britain Football Do not compete All-Ireland JFC
Hertfordshire Britain Football Do not compete All-Ireland JFC
Kerry Munster Football Joe McDonagh Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Kildare Leinster Football Joe McDonagh Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Kilkenny[lower-alpha 3] Leinster Hurling Liam MacCarthy Cup All-Ireland JFC
Laois Leinster Dual Joe McDonagh Cup Tailteann Cup
Lancashire Britain Hurling Lory Meagher Cup All-Ireland JFC
Leitrim Connacht Football Lory Meagher Cup Tailteann Cup
Limerick Munster Hurling Liam MacCarthy Cup Tailteann Cup
London Britain Dual Christy Ring Cup Tailteann Cup
Longford Leinster Football Lory Meagher Cup Tailteann Cup
Louth Leinster Football Nicky Rackard Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Mayo Connacht Football Christy Ring Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Meath Leinster Football Christy Ring Cup Tailteann Cup
Monaghan Ulster Football Lory Meagher Cup Sam Maguire Cup
New York North America Football Do not compete Tailteann Cup
Offaly Leinster Dual Joe McDonagh Cup Tailteann Cup
Roscommon Connacht Football Nicky Rackard Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Scotland Britain Football Do not compete All-Ireland JFC
Sligo Connacht Dual Christy Ring Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Tipperary Munster Hurling Liam MacCarthy Cup Tailteann Cup
Tyrone Ulster Football Christy Ring Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Warwickshire Britain Hurling Lory Meagher Cup All-Ireland JFC
Waterford Munster Hurling Liam MacCarthy Cup Tailteann Cup
Westmeath Leinster Dual Liam MacCarthy Cup Sam Maguire Cup
Wexford Leinster Hurling Liam MacCarthy Cup Tailteann Cup
Wicklow Leinster Dual Nicky Rackard Cup Tailteann Cup
Yorkshire Britain Football Do not compete All-Ireland JFC

County teams outside of Ireland

Counties as used in Gaelic games outside Ireland cover large geographic non-traditional areas which are not considered as counties in any other context. For example, Scotland is a county for GAA purposes, as is London, while the remaining counties of Great Britain cover wider areas than their names suggest. The Hertfordshire County Board, for example, oversees clubs in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire; Gloucestershire GAA reaches into South Wales, Warwickshire GAA includes Staffordshire and Birmingham, and so on.[3] There are also "county boards" for Australasia, Canada, New York, the rest of United States, Europe and Asia, while other overseas GAA regions such as the Cayman Islands operate with their own structures not including county boards.[4]

London county teams

London county football team competes in the National Football league, Connacht Senior Football Championship, All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and Tailteann Cup. London county hurling team competes in the National Hurling League, All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and Christy Ring Cup.

Greatest Football achievement: Runners-up of the 2013 Connacht Senior Football Championship.

Greatest Hurling achievement: Winners of the 1901 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.

New York county teams

New York enters a county team in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and won its first game in the 2023 Connacht football championship vs Leitrim after more than 20 years of trying. They also enter the Tailteann Cup. New York last entered the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 2006.

Greatest Football achievement: Semi-finalists of the 2023 Connacht Senior Football Championship.

Greatest Hurling achievement: Runners-up of the 2006 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship.

Warwickshire county teams

Warwickshire county hurling team competes in the National Hurling League, All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and Lory Meagher Cup. Their football team competes in the All-Britain Junior Football Championship.

Greatest Football achievement: Winning two All-Britain Junior Football Championships in a row in 1968 and 1969.

Greatest Hurling achievement: Winners of the 2017 Lory Meagher Cup.

Lancashire county teams

Lancashire county hurling team competes in the National Hurling League, All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and Lory Meagher Cup. Their football team competes in the All-Britain Junior Football Championship.

Greatest Football achievement: Winning four All-Britain Junior Football Championships in a row between 2010 and 2013.

Greatest Hurling achievement: Semi-finalists of the 1913 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.

Other British county teams

Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Scotland and Yorkshire compete in the All-Britain Junior Football Championship.

Inactive county teams

As of 2023, no team from continental Europe, Canada, the rest of the United States, Middle East, Asia or Australasia competes against the counties of Ireland in any of the Gaelic games.

See also

Notes

  1. Derry represents County Londonderry (see Derry-Londonderry name dispute) — the GAA only uses the name Derry.
  2. Derry represents County Londonderry (see Derry-Londonderry name dispute) — the GAA only uses the name Derry.
  3. Kilkenny no longer fields a football team.

References

  1. "Whelan slams Dublin split". BBC News. 27 January 2002. Retrieved 22 December 2006.
  2. Gasaitéar na hÉireann / Gazetteer of Ireland. Dublin: Brainse Logainmneacha na Suirbhéireachta Ordanáis / Placenames Branch of the Ordnance Survey. 1989. ISBN 978-0-7076-0076-5.
  3. Gaelic Athletic Association, International GAA County Boards: Retrieved http://www.gaa.ie/about-the-gaa/gaa-overseas/
  4. GAA Overseas Units official booklet
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